1) KNPB demo turns chaotic, 11 arrested. Guns used against peaceful demonstrators
2) Anti-Violence Forum: 'Shooting demonstrators should be investigated.
3) 5.3 magnitude earthquake hits West PapuaFrom Tapol
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1) KNPB demo turns chaotic, 11 arrested. Guns used against peaceful demonstrators
[This is how the Indonesian police reported what happened at a peaceful demonstration in Manokwari on 24 October.]
Bintang Papua, 24 October 2012
Chaos during KNPB Demo: Eleven people arrested
[Photo at the top of this article shows a member of Polri, the Indonesian police, holding a kneeling Papuan demonstrator by the back of his collar.]
The public relations officer of the Papuan police force, AKBP I Gede Sumerta Jaya, reported that a demonstration was held for four hours in Manokwari, without police permission in front of the UNIPA campus, Manokwari. The demonstrators were calling for a referendum and were carrying the Morning Star Flag. Following the demonstration the participants walked to the Darul Anum Mosque where speeches were made. The security forces had to fire warning shots in order to force the demonstrators to disperse when they behaved wildly (secara anarkis) and threw stones at the police who were trying to pacify the demonstrators. The incident caused widespread traffic congestion.
Four of the demonstrators were hit by gunshots and two police officers were hit by stones and had to be rushed to hospital.
The eleven who were arrested were eventually released after being given warnings.
The police later brought in special staff to investigate when they heard that four demonstrators had been shot.
According to the KNPB (National Committee for West Papua), the demonstration was held to support a meeting of International Parliamentarians for West Papua in London. But the Indonesian embassy in London said that there was no significant meeting in the British Parliament.
According to a report in Bintang Papua, the demonstration proceeding peacefully. Several hundred people took part. Speakers at the demonstration called for independence for the Papuan people and rejected the plan of the Indonesian government to hold a dialogue (sic).
The demonstration was tightly guarded by police security forces, supported by detachment C of Brimob [The elite police force intended to deal with terrorists.] A number of times, the demonstrators called on the police to lift the blockade on the demonstrators but the police refused to do so. The speeches continued while the police blockade remained in place. Missiles were thrown on both sides, but how that began is not clear. As the situation became more chaotic, the police repeatedly shot into the air having been unable to calm the emotions of the crowd. Eventually, there were talks between the two sides and the incident ended peacefully.
Several members of Polri as well as demonstrators are now receiving intensive treatment in hospital.
Altogether eleven demonstrators were arrested and are being interrogated by the police.
A representative of Polri later told journalists about the clashes between the police and the demonstrators, eight of whom were wounded . Four were hit by guns . The police said that the handling of the demonstrations was in accordance with established police procedures. The police used rubber bullets as well as empty bullets.
A police representative said that the police were not responsible for the medical treatment of the eight civilians, neither those who had been hit by guns nor those who were wounded during the scuffles.
[Translated by TAPOL]
Bintang Papua, 24 October 2012
Chaos during KNPB Demo: Eleven people arrested
[Photo at the top of this article shows a member of Polri, the Indonesian police, holding a kneeling Papuan demonstrator by the back of his collar.]
The public relations officer of the Papuan police force, AKBP I Gede Sumerta Jaya, reported that a demonstration was held for four hours in Manokwari, without police permission in front of the UNIPA campus, Manokwari. The demonstrators were calling for a referendum and were carrying the Morning Star Flag. Following the demonstration the participants walked to the Darul Anum Mosque where speeches were made. The security forces had to fire warning shots in order to force the demonstrators to disperse when they behaved wildly (secara anarkis) and threw stones at the police who were trying to pacify the demonstrators. The incident caused widespread traffic congestion.
Four of the demonstrators were hit by gunshots and two police officers were hit by stones and had to be rushed to hospital.
The eleven who were arrested were eventually released after being given warnings.
The police later brought in special staff to investigate when they heard that four demonstrators had been shot.
According to the KNPB (National Committee for West Papua), the demonstration was held to support a meeting of International Parliamentarians for West Papua in London. But the Indonesian embassy in London said that there was no significant meeting in the British Parliament.
According to a report in Bintang Papua, the demonstration proceeding peacefully. Several hundred people took part. Speakers at the demonstration called for independence for the Papuan people and rejected the plan of the Indonesian government to hold a dialogue (sic).
The demonstration was tightly guarded by police security forces, supported by detachment C of Brimob [The elite police force intended to deal with terrorists.] A number of times, the demonstrators called on the police to lift the blockade on the demonstrators but the police refused to do so. The speeches continued while the police blockade remained in place. Missiles were thrown on both sides, but how that began is not clear. As the situation became more chaotic, the police repeatedly shot into the air having been unable to calm the emotions of the crowd. Eventually, there were talks between the two sides and the incident ended peacefully.
Several members of Polri as well as demonstrators are now receiving intensive treatment in hospital.
Altogether eleven demonstrators were arrested and are being interrogated by the police.
A representative of Polri later told journalists about the clashes between the police and the demonstrators, eight of whom were wounded . Four were hit by guns . The police said that the handling of the demonstrations was in accordance with established police procedures. The police used rubber bullets as well as empty bullets.
A police representative said that the police were not responsible for the medical treatment of the eight civilians, neither those who had been hit by guns nor those who were wounded during the scuffles.
[Translated by TAPOL]
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2) Anti-Violence Forum: 'Shooting demonstrators should be investigated.
Bintang Papua, 25 October 2012
The incident when shots were fired by the police at KNPB demonstrators who were calling for a referendum has provoked many responses.
Forum Anti-Kekerasan - the Anti Violence Forum - (FAK) has initiated an investigation into this incident.which resulted in KNPB activists being wounded as well as some members of the police.
'We will collect data to determined what injuries were inflicted on KNPB activists, who were the victims, what kind of injuries they suffered. Everything needs to be clear,' said the chairman of FAK, Frans JP Kareth.
He went on to say that FAK along with legal organisations in West Papua intend to investigate this use of violence during scuffles between demonstrators and members of the police force, so as to draw together the facts. FAK said that it does not take sides between KNPB activists and the police but intends to establish the facts of what happened. 'The police claim that that their actions to disperse the KNPB demonstration were in accordance with procedures but FAK intends to establish whether legal violations occurred. Our aim is to investigate the facts in order to reveal the case to the public.'
'If any of the victims wish to take the matter to court, they are perfectly entitled to do so,' he said.
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West Papua National Authority condemns the use of violence against peaceful demonstration
'The use of excessive force used by the police in Manokwari is a violation of basic human rights', said the governor of Doberai, according to Markus Yenu in a press release.
'The police should never use force to disperse a peaceful action. This only leads to feelings of hatred towards the police. ' The spokesperson of the WPNA. Elimelek Kaiway said that the police had acted in violation of Law 9/1998 on freedom of expression. He went on to say that the scuffles between the police and members of the KNPB had occurred in order to destroy the reputation of the Papuan pro-independence movement and force the demonstators to use anarchic methods. He said that the the WPNA will collaborate with the KNPB to investigate the use of force which led to a number of injuries suffered by KNPB activists and members of the police force.
Meanwhile, the chief of police in Manokwari, Agustus Suprianto said that the actions taken by the police were in accordance with established procedures. 'The police were forced to take firm action,' he said, 'because the demonstrators had acted anarchically by throwing things at the police.'
[Translated by TAPOL]
The incident when shots were fired by the police at KNPB demonstrators who were calling for a referendum has provoked many responses.
Forum Anti-Kekerasan - the Anti Violence Forum - (FAK) has initiated an investigation into this incident.which resulted in KNPB activists being wounded as well as some members of the police.
'We will collect data to determined what injuries were inflicted on KNPB activists, who were the victims, what kind of injuries they suffered. Everything needs to be clear,' said the chairman of FAK, Frans JP Kareth.
He went on to say that FAK along with legal organisations in West Papua intend to investigate this use of violence during scuffles between demonstrators and members of the police force, so as to draw together the facts. FAK said that it does not take sides between KNPB activists and the police but intends to establish the facts of what happened. 'The police claim that that their actions to disperse the KNPB demonstration were in accordance with procedures but FAK intends to establish whether legal violations occurred. Our aim is to investigate the facts in order to reveal the case to the public.'
'If any of the victims wish to take the matter to court, they are perfectly entitled to do so,' he said.
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West Papua National Authority condemns the use of violence against peaceful demonstration
'The use of excessive force used by the police in Manokwari is a violation of basic human rights', said the governor of Doberai, according to Markus Yenu in a press release.
'The police should never use force to disperse a peaceful action. This only leads to feelings of hatred towards the police. ' The spokesperson of the WPNA. Elimelek Kaiway said that the police had acted in violation of Law 9/1998 on freedom of expression. He went on to say that the scuffles between the police and members of the KNPB had occurred in order to destroy the reputation of the Papuan pro-independence movement and force the demonstators to use anarchic methods. He said that the the WPNA will collaborate with the KNPB to investigate the use of force which led to a number of injuries suffered by KNPB activists and members of the police force.
Meanwhile, the chief of police in Manokwari, Agustus Suprianto said that the actions taken by the police were in accordance with established procedures. 'The police were forced to take firm action,' he said, 'because the demonstrators had acted anarchically by throwing things at the police.'
[Translated by TAPOL]
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3) 5.3 magnitude earthquake hits West Papua
Fri, October 26 2012 16:44 | 103 Views
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - An earthquake measuring 5.3 on the Richter scale jolted the northeastern part of Tambrauw regency, West Papua province, at 1.28 pm local time on Friday.
According to data from the Meteorology Climatology and Geophysics Agency, the quake was centred at 0.14 degree southern latitude and 132.93 degree western longitude, 48 kilometres northeast of Tambrauw, 128 km northeast of Sorong, West Papua, 133 km northeast of Manokwari, West Papua, and 2,979 km northeast of Jakarta, at a depth of 10 km below sea level.
The earthquake was not strong enough to trigger a tsunami.
According to data from the Meteorology Climatology and Geophysics Agency, the quake was centred at 0.14 degree southern latitude and 132.93 degree western longitude, 48 kilometres northeast of Tambrauw, 128 km northeast of Sorong, West Papua, 133 km northeast of Manokwari, West Papua, and 2,979 km northeast of Jakarta, at a depth of 10 km below sea level.
The earthquake was not strong enough to trigger a tsunami.
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